Omnichannel lead generation for B2B: How to do it right

Single-channel lead generation in B2B doesn’t work like it used to.

Here’s why:

• Regulations and privacy laws have limited cold outreach, restricted data collection, and hindered precise lead targeting.
• Spam blockers have reduced email delivery rates.
• Algorithm updates have made organic reach more challenging, pushing brands towards paid advertising and increasing marketing costs.
• Increasing technical requirements and tool expertise are raising overall campaign costs and complexity.

There are other reasons, such as the B2B sales cycle is getting longer, exceeding 100 days in many cases, and the fact that most sales and marketing teams are still segregated.

All of these points contribute to lower conversion rates, more complicated and costly marketing, and greater vulnerability to economic conditions.

You need more than “better marketing” or a bigger budget. The decreased viability of relying on a single channel is an industry-wide problem. Innovation and a shift in how businesses conduct lead generation are needed.

In this article, we explain why you should invest in omnichannel lead generation. We also share our own process, one that we’ve tested and fine-tuned across multiple industries in B2B.

What is omnichannel lead generation?

Omnichannel lead generation is an approach that engages prospects across multiple platforms. It aims to integrate multiple touchpoints throughout the buying journey to provide a seamless user experience.

It’s easier to understand the omnichannel approach and its benefits by comparing it to traditional methods:

• Single-channel means engaging prospects through a single outreach method such as through email. It also means both relying on and being limited by the restrictions and shortcomings of your chosen channel.
• Multichannel uses multiple, independent platforms to reach prospects without necessarily integrating them. By using multiple channels in a disconnected way, there’s a tendency to barrage the prospect from all angles, often pushing them to engage with you just to get rid of you.
• Cross-channel is somewhere between multichannel and omnichannel. For instance, you might send an email, retarget the prospect with a LinkedIn message, and then make a phone call. However, it differs from omnichannel in that each attempted interaction isn’t informed by the previous one. Like with multichannel, the lack of synchronization leads to a fragmented experience for the user. Ultimately, cross-channel misses the point of interacting with the prospect throughout the buying journey.

While omnichannel, in our eyes, is the culmination of these different strategies, it’s also the most challenging to execute. It requires extensive data, expertise, and client collaboration. With so many moving parts — platforms, messages, and touchpoints — outsourcing omnichannel lead generation requires more than just a hired service provider; it calls for a long-term growth partner.

Why is omnichannel outpacing single-channel and other strategies?

To understand why omnichannel is outperforming more traditional strategies, you need to recognize how the market has evolved. In the past, less precision was required to drive revenue, but that’s changed as sales tactics, user behaviors, and regulations have become more complex.

With ever-changing algorithms, smarter spam blockers, and more tech-savvy users, single-channel approaches have grown more challenging and expensive. As Margaret, CMO at Belkins, also notes, “Cold email outreach still works, but it’s getting tougher each year.”

More to this point, LinkedIn currently caps connection requests at 400 per month and now limits the ability to add a personal note. Stricter government regulations have made mass texting for sales purposes impossible in most situations. AI-powered tools, once thought to give a competitive edge, are saturating the market with repetitive templates, requiring greater creativity and strategic precision to stand out.

Omnichannel solves these problems in a couple of ways:

• Opens up opportunities for more unique and “warm” communication. A follow-up email to an accepted LinkedIn connection request is going to read (and convert) differently than if it were being used as the first and only point of ice-cold contact.
• Capitalizes on the strengths of each channel for optimal conversions. The complexity and expertise needed to operate software tools is increasing regardless of which channel approach you take. The simplest way to combat this is to increase the return on your total investment by leveraging each channel at the stage of the funnel it’s best suited for.

Additionally, a longer sales cycle puts more strain on a single channel. You not only have to follow up and stay top of mind, but you’ve got to make sure you’re getting through to prospects consistently over the course of 3 months or more.

Omnichannel lead generation lets you follow up on an ignored connection request with an email or a delayed email response with an intent-based call. You’ve also got the ability to prioritize the channels the client likes to use the most. 

For instance, someone in the manufacturing space might be more traditional, favoring simple calls and texts over common digital channels like LinkedIn. If you can pivot to his preferred channel, he’s less likely to get tired of corresponding with you.

Omnichannel also comes with a certain level of flexibility and customization that allows you to better adapt your entire lead generation strategy to individual markets, an advantage that wouldn’t otherwise be available utilizing a single channel.

What do most companies get wrong about omnichannel lead generation?

Most businesses think they’re doing omnichannel when, in reality, they’re executing multichannel campaigns. These lack the interconnected and timed use of channels at different stages of the funnel that makes omnichannel so effective.

But the biggest mistake companies make is treating omnichannel lead generation as if it should be fast and easy. True omnichannel is not a quick or simple solution. It’s an intricate system with many dependencies.

To successfully implement omnichannel, you need team members with experience in running this type of fluid buyer journey strategy. Otherwise, be prepared to spend a great deal of time and resources on testing, learning, and iterating on your approach. You’ll also spend plenty of time developing and training your team on how to masterfully manage interactions across channels.

As a third point, most companies focus too heavily on generating leads and setting appointments as the end goal. What clients really need is more revenue. Without a cohesive omnichannel process for booking appointments, businesses risk wasting time and resources on disconnected outreach that doesn’t contribute to the bottom line.

This is where companies like Belkins excel, providing not just the expertise to deliver qualified leads but a proven pathway to meaningful growth. All this grounds on in-depth and comprehensive clients’ market research, understanding their business models, and their sales and marketing audit.

Belkins’ approach to omnichannel lead generation    

Most companies currently rely on a single channel for the bulk of their lead generation. They struggle to integrate multiple channels into a cohesive strategy because they don’t know which channels to use and when.  

Moreover, companies starting out with omnichannel lead generation must test everything from scratch, spending time on questions like whether to call or email first, or when to run ads. While this trial-and-error process does eventually carve a path to success, building an in-house team to execute it properly costs a considerable amount of time, energy, and resources.

For the reasons mentioned above, we like to say that hiring Belkins is like choosing a Mercedes-Benz — a thoroughly tested, reliable, luxury vehicle that has everything you need to get from point A to B. Ultimately, our advantage in appointment setting lies in our ability to streamline complex processes like omnichannel lead generation through implementing data-driven decisions.

How we use data in our omnichannel campaigns

Data is our window into deep, actionable insights to optimize results. Companies without sufficient data (or the ability to analyze it) won’t know how to change tactics to improve conversion rates or which channels work best at a given point in the funnel.

At Belkins, we have experience with hundreds of projects across numerous industries. Having this extensive data bank to inform every campaign has equipped us with a valuable differentiator.

For instance, in one campaign, we used data from previous campaigns to tailor email content, timing, and frequency. This included analysis and A/B testing to improve open and reply rates. Over time, by continuously optimizing the campaign and working with the client, we were able to achieve a 63% open rate and a 12% reply rate. 

Data was also integral to our ability to fix bottlenecks. Having access to detailed KPIs per project and industries helps us identify where campaigns might be underperforming and cues us to make adjustments on the fly.

If we see that open rates, response rates, or click-through-rates are lower than predefined (industry and proprietary) benchmarks based on the company’s size and sector, we look to test and optimize certain factors such as:

• Time of day
• Type of subject line used
• Call-to-action placement

Furthermore, our use of advanced tools and tech is a big part of our data-centric approach. From email deliverability platforms like Folderly to tracking user behavior with Dreamdata, we can optimize performance at every stage of the campaign and make the project’s performance clear for our clients.

Our step-by-step omnichannel lead generation process

Our process revolves around 7–8 touchpoints that nurture leads throughout the buying journey. This lets us maintain constant and relevant engagement at every stage, maximizing conversion rates.

What makes the multitouch strategy so much more effective than single or multichannel is how it allows companies to build familiarity and trust — both of which are growing in necessity in the B2B space, where purchasing decisions take more and more time.

Additionally, our omnichannel strategy is one that understands timing. When to introduce yourself is generally not the same time as when you should go for the close.

Lead research and personalization

One of the key elements of Belkins’ omnichannel strategy is our research. We use our proprietary research technologies, advanced databases, and reliable tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Apollo.io for lead research and contact verification.

Another key component is understanding the persona of each prospect — whether it’s their job title, industry, or company size. This lets us adjust outreach to match the prospect’s behaviors and preferences.

For instance, knowing whether a prospect checks LinkedIn in the morning or prefers email later in the day tells us the best time to reach out and with which channel. Persona-based customization means we engage with the prospect in a manner that suits their habits and improves conversions.

Understanding the channels

Each channel comes with different strengths and should be leveraged accordingly:

• Email offers scalability, asynchronous communication, and measurability, allowing for broad yet personalized outreach.
• LinkedIn provides deeper personalization and visibility through social proof, helping to build familiarity and rapport before a pitch.
• Intent-based calling provides immediate, real-time interaction, making it more persuasive, personal, and better at overcoming objections.
• Google Ads builds brand awareness and complements other channels by keeping prospects engaged without direct outreach.

Step 1: Engage

The process often begins with LinkedIn engagement to establish a connection. In some cases, we may start with cold emails or calls. Either way, prospects are not pitched immediately; instead, they’re engaged through simple actions such as liking posts, commenting, and viewing profiles.

This creates visibility and gives our salesperson a face and a name, making future outreach more familiar and less intrusive. Once some level of interaction is established, we send a connection request or a personalized email to start a direct conversation.

💡 Belkins engagement example

LinkedIn engagement: Day 1 starts with a Belkins team member looking for ways to engage the client on LinkedIn. The normal tactics are:

• Liking posts
• Endorsing skills of key decision-makers
• Participating in shared LinkedIn groups.

The idea is to establish a visible presence and begin building familiarity.

Connection attempt: On Day 2, LinkedIn connection requests are sent, usually to individuals in the C-suite and other decision-makers like directors, VPs, and managers. After a 1-day delay, a personalized email is sent to introduce Belkins, showing off our lead generation expertise in the client’s industry.

Step 2: Nurture

After the initial engagement, we continue nurturing the prospect through email and LinkedIn follow-ups.

Here, top-of-funnel content like white papers, case studies, or industry reports are often used to keep them informed and engaged. The content is always tailored to the prospect’s industry so that we’re providing something relevant and helpful early on.

Additionally, we always implement the client’s tone of voice, brand style, and whatever we need to make communication feel consistent and authentic.

💡 Belkins’ nurturing example

Handling responses: After the LinkedIn connection request is accepted, we follow it with a LinkedIn message thanking them for connecting and briefly mentioning how Belkins might help with the client’s specific lead generation challenge.

If we don’t receive a response, we send a follow-up email that might highlight the potential impact of our service on their sales funnel.

Reengagement: If there’s a continued lack of response to our LinkedIn connection request, messages, or emails, this is where we reengage on LinkedIn with things like skill endorsements and group discussions.

Most of these actions have a 1-day delay. If the client still isn’t responding, we send a second follow-up email featuring a case study or white paper that’s relevant to the client’s industry.

Step 3: Intent-based calling

Once the prospect has engaged with us through email or LinkedIn content and the conversation has advanced to a predetermined stage, intent-based calling is introduced. This is a type of cold calling designed to further qualify the prospect and book a sales meeting. These calls are highly personalized and rely on the rapport and trust built through previous interactions.

Here is where conversion rates can increase significantly. Instead of the common intrusive cold call, these calls are part of an overarching sequence of personalized touches.

💡 Belkins intent-based calling example

Call schedule: At about day 7, we’re not only following up and engaging through LinkedIn and email, but we’re also looking at triggers.

Have they opened the email a few times? Have they clicked the case study?

If so, we use that as a trigger event to send another message via LinkedIn, this time suggesting a low-pressure exploratory call.

Pushing for the close: If they agree to the call, we book it for the following week. Within the call itself, we invite them to book a more formal appointment to discuss the details of a trial run with Belkins.

If at this stage the client has shown interest here and there but not made any commitment, we send a courtesy LinkedIn message letting them know that we’re calling them.

From here, we alternate mostly between LinkedIn and follow-up calls.

If we get enough ‘No’s or hit day 30 before booking an appointment, we give up for the time being. After a month, we start the entire process over again.

Step 4: Advertise

Throughout the process, Google Ads and other PPC strategies are deployed to build brand awareness and further nurture leads. The ads aren’t designed to close deals but simply to keep the brand visible and relevant to the prospect.

After some awareness campaigns, targeted PPC ads, often paired with LinkedIn banners, are introduced to guide prospects further down the funnel. Thus, prospects who’ve already interacted with the brand will continue to see it appear.

💡 Belkins advertising example

Google Ads: These are used specifically for increasing brand awareness so that Belkins remains top of mind for prospects engaged in the earlier stages of the funnel.

While the ads target relevant B2B lead generation and marketing keywords, they’re not intended to close deals directly.

LinkedIn Ads: Targeted LinkedIn ads are employed to reach decision-makers in specific industries, complementing ongoing personal LinkedIn engagements and email communications.

These ads might feature case studies or testimonials that highlight Belkins’ lead generation expertise in their industry.

PPC and retargeting: As engagement continues, targeted PPC ads are used to guide prospects further down the funnel, while retargeting ads reengage visitors who’ve shown interest in the past but haven’t progressed past a certain point.

Integrating ads as an indirect strategy grants continuous visibility, relevance through messaging, and support in progressing clients through the funnel.

Final thoughts about aligning sales and marketing for lead generation

Sales and marketing alignment is a constant struggle for midsize and enterprise-level companies. According to Margaret, “More and more companies report issues arising from misalignment between their sales and marketing teams.” This lack of coordination not only lowers operational efficiency but is a glaring source of missed opportunities and low conversion rates.

For example, alignment is especially important for overcoming objections during the sales process. Marketing has the advantage here and should be equipping sales with tailored content based on market research. Something as simple as providing a case study can be all that’s needed to help a salesperson move prospects to the next stage of the buyer’s journey.

With an omnichannel approach, sales and marketing are aligned because there’s no choice. Both departments are integrated into the same omnichannel workflow. Whether it’s email, LinkedIn, intent-based calls, or paid ads, it requires marketing and sales to give each other cues on when and where to engage or execute. And this is the core of Belkins’ omnichannel — covering an entire sales and marketing pipeline to create seamless user journey.

If you’re ready to learn how an omnichannel approach might improve your current lead generation efforts, book a call with us today.